


Not Quite Friends

by change_of_heart



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 05:26:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28630245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/change_of_heart/pseuds/change_of_heart
Summary: Aang’s everlasting crush on Katara makes him blind to the world around him, until one day he begins to notice how Katara and Zuko aren’t quite friends anymore.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Kudos: 69





	Not Quite Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!!!! This is my first story I’ve written so I’m gonna be honest, it is probably not very good 😂. I got this ideas from here: https://pin.it/8mn58Ru and I immediately thought of Zutara. Let me know what you think, as well as there is anything I need to work on for future work. I’m not very good at tags yet, so if I need to change them let me know as well. Hope you enjoy!

Ti Lee’s birthday party was the event of the year, it always was. There was always the best music and the best drinks, and of course the best memories made. Sokka and Suki had arrived at the party together and were practically undressing eachother with their eyes all night long. The way they danced with eachother would make people around them uncomfortable, if they didn’t already know the affectionate couple. Zuko and Mai were off sulking in the corner, not looking particularly happy with one another. Aang could sense the tension between them as soon as he walked in the door with Katara. Zuko’s mood suddenly changed when he made eye contact with Katara. A million words were said between a three second glance. No one else around them seemed to notice the way Zuko and Katara instantly lit up at the sight of eachother. But Aang did. He saw how Zuko’s tense posture seemed to relax and his hard edges softened at the sight of Katara. Aang could see how Katara’s perpetual nerves seemed to disappear as soon as she knew that he was here. The feeling of jealousy that washed over Aang was one he tried not to focus on because Zuko had a girlfriend and Aang knew that Zuko was aware of Aang’s everlasting crush on Katara, so Aang was reassured that Zuko would never make a move on his girl. Even though he was self assured, Aang decided to go hang with Toph to keep his mind off of things.  
~0~  
A few weeks later, Zuko and Mai broke up. Everyone saw it coming. It wasn’t like those two were the best at talking about feelings and emotions, so not much could be accomplished in their relationship. But still, the breakup was hard on Zuko. Him and Mai had been together for years, of course it was an on and off again relationship, but the comfort of someone familiar was now gone and Zuko felt empty. Katara got everyone together to go to the beach to try and cheer Zuko up. Katara knew Zuko better than anyone else in the group. Somehow she had torn through his thorns and the walls that he put around himself and really got to know him. That’s how she knew that the beach was Zuko’s favorite spot and would always cheer him up.  
Zuko and Katara were hanging out in the waves laughing with each other, when Aang skipped into the tide to go surf. He didn’t mean to listen to what they were saying as he passed, but he did. 

“I just feel so empty. I’m just drained from being with her that I don’t know what to do with myself anymore,” Zuko had said with a deep frown.  
“Hey,” Katara sighed as she gently placed a hand on Zuko’s scarred cheek, “I know it’s hard but I’m always going to be here for you. You are my best friend and I don’t ever want to see you hurt.”  
Best friend? Aang thought he was Katara’s best friend. He had known her longer than Zuko, hell he grew up with Katara. She was always there for him, how was he not her best friend?  
What Aang saw next made his heart stop. Katara splashed Zuko with the blue water around her, that caused Zuko to pause for a second and then he smiled. A smile that Aang had only ever seen Zuko direct at Katara, a smile so soft and full of admiration that it made Aang realize that there was more between Zuko and Katara than he was comfortable with.  
~0~  
The next couple of weeks were rough for Aang. He was upset and jealous, and it made him cranky. It has affected the group and made everyone concerned for him. He hadn’t thought about how it had affected everyone else in the group until Sokka approached him while they were at the “dance night” that Uncle Iroh was having at his tea shop.  
“Hey man, what’s going on?” Sokka said with a waver of worry in his tone.  
“What do you mean?”  
“I mean you’re being a real bummer, you haven’t even danced tonight and that’s not like you. Even Toph is worried about you, and that’s saying something”.  
“I just don’t get it,” Aang sighed.  
“Get what?” Suki interjected as she slid into the seat next to Sokka.  
“That,” Aang bit out as he gestured toward Katara and Zuko dancing, with Zuko’s hand on her lower back as he spun her. “ I’ve been friends with Katara for so long, and I’ve loved her for even longer, and I’ve tried to show her that by always being with her. But somehow I am not good enough.” Aang frowned as Katara’s face lit up when Zuko whispered something in her ear that made her laugh. She was glowing with happiness. Happiness that Aang couldn’t give her.  
“Hey guys! Why aren’t you dancing?” Katara questioned as she stopped by the table to get a drink.  
“Actually, Sokka and I were just about to get back out there. You guys better be out there in a minute or I’m gonna drag you,” Suki commented as she grabbed Sokka’s hand.  
“C’mon Aang, I know Toph needs a dance partner still, she’s currently stepping on Zuko’s toes. Go rescue him.” Katara instructed before she headed out the makeshift dance floor. Aang reluctantly followed and frowned as Zuko smiled at Katara and swayed around with her as she giggled.  
~0~  
On the gang’s annual ski trip, Aang’s jealously and hurt got worse.  
“Katara?” Zuko called out from the living room of the cabin that they were renting for the weekend. Aang hated the way that Zuko said her name because it was so different than the way he said anyone else’s names. It was so soft and compassionate, compared to the harshness that Zuko used with Sokka, Aang, Toph and Suki.  
“Yes...?” Katara replied from the kitchen.  
“Do you need any help with dinner?”  
“That would be great actually, thank you!”  
Aang sat in self pity as Zuko got up off the arm chair and walked to the kitchen.  
“Aang what’s wrong?” Sokka asked with a slight hint of sarcasm in his voice.  
“Nothing.”  
“Oh c’mon I know it’s something,” Sokka teased.  
“Fine, I am upset,” Aang replied shortly.  
“Oh. Did you wanna.... talk.. about it?” Sokka asked suddenly uncomfortable.  
Unaware that the pair in the kitchen could hear every word he was saying, Aang answered bitterly.  
“You can see it in their eyes; they aren’t just friends. The way Zuko smiles for her? Friends don’t smile like that. The way he touches her? Friends don’t touch eachother like that. The way Katara’s face lights up when he talks? Friends don’t look at eachother like that. The way Zuko’s voice changes when he says her name? Friends don’t talk like that. I see it clear as day. They aren’t quite friends anymore. And I hate it because the person she wants, she needs, will never be me.”  
Sokka sat there, mouth agape as he listened to Aang ramble about his feelings. What no one was aware of was the two people in the kitchen who were now blushing furiously and avoiding eye contact with eachother.  
“I didn’t know you felt the same way,” were the words whispered in the kitchen as Aang finally realized why he was so jealous of Zuko and Katara. It wasn’t just because he had a crush on Katara, it was because no one had ever looked at him the way Zuko had always looked at Katara.


End file.
